posted
The shuttle mission to do maintenance on the Hubble space telescope (fix things, make sure the orbit isn't decaying, etc.) has been canceled as a result of President Bush's call to go to the Moon and Mars.
I only hope that the shuttle replacement (if there is one) will be tasked to take the place of this mission.
I just hate the idea of not having the Hubble up there working after all the grief we went through to get the thing working properly and how great it has been in generating images, etc.
I swear, sometimes America is like a darn 3 year old discarding our toys as soon as something new comes along that's shinier.
Oh well. Just a rant. Probably they'll launch a better space telescope by then and Hubble will have outlived its usefulness anyway. We're talking 7 years from now or more...
posted
Hmmm... is this going to end up being a trick to cut funding for the space program in the long run?
After all, we are cutting current programs for a future program that we (in all likelihood) will not actually be able to afford when the time comes.
Posts: 2432 | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
Upon hearing Bush’s announcement of the new Space Initiative, and his plans for ending the use of the current shuttle system, I expected something like this to happen because the Hubble is tied directly into shuttle operations, and its not human spaceflight. When they get the shuttle to fly again, its remaining launches will have to be for transportation of ISS components if NASA plans to honor it’s obligation for Space Station completion in the timeframe Bush proposes.
Additionally, they were planning to dispense with Hubble anyway and replace it with the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST). Although work for that new telescope is underway, launch will not occur until 2012. Since the new telescope is not “human spaceflight” either, that could be on the chopping block as well.
However, do not fret they will not just discard Hubble totally. They are still developing two new optics upgrades for the Hubble telescope. Co-workers say that they will complete the fabrication on those last two upgrades, and place them into storage. From what I hear, the Hubble Project’s manager is a very well connected person who will probably be able to convince NASA Headquarters that once they get the shuttle back online, that one more mission to extend Hubble's life will not hurt.
Yes, the ending of the Hubble project is tragic at many levels because it signals a lot of change here at NASA. As soon as I heard Bush talk about reallocation 11 billion dollars from the current budget, I knew that meant trouble for projects here where I work at Goddard Spaceflight Center . Goddard is responsible for the engineering and construction for all Hubble’s parts in addition to other satellite projects that deal with earth science, space studies. Little human spaceflight work occurs here, and Hubble was the most prominent project that operated out of this facility. So if they are willing to cut that so quickly, I am sure NASA Headquarters will do the same to other lesser-known projects. Sure, this could mean that interesting human spaceflight projects will replace them, but also some interesting science missions might be put on hold or scrapped.
posted
i'm really pissed about this mars thing. i've been watching star trek since my parents let me watch tv, and i love the idea of going to mars, and suspect that it will happen eventually, but this really makes me mad. if Bush had funded it, i would have been a little hesitant to get excited about it due to the budged deficits we've already incurred, but i'd be onboard. the fact that he's decided that he wants to basically gut nasa (i don't work there, so this is an impression, not an informed opinion) in order to pursue human spaceflight seems incredibly short-sighted. if we're going to justify human exploration by saying that the collateral discoveries will be of great value, how can we then turn around and nix the programs which already exist for that very purpose? i can't help but wonder if it's a coincidence that China just decided they were going to send a person to the moon.
posted
Although I support manned spaceflight, and please let me underscore the need for Humanity to be able to survive in the void is great indeed, wouldn't it be great to merely send an orbiter to every moon and planet in the Solar System?
We shouldn't cut back on any programs, we should be starting new ones in addition. That's not where the budget will be impacted most. Let's face it, the occupation of a foreign nation is tearing our economy apart, and the only way America will be able to survive, with or without the space program, is to scale back on military expenditures. The military spending simply dwarfs all other parts of the budget.
But I guess we don't look at the bottom line anymore in Washington D.C.
quote:The military spending simply dwarfs all other parts of the budget.
Except social security.
But yeah, NASA is just a drop in the giant bucket of US spending. I can't believe how stingy these people are being.
Posts: 4600 | Registered: Mar 2000
| IP: Logged |
It appears that only $30 million was allocated to that fund.
Never mind.
Hmmm....the Washington times seems to imply that it's a 10-year, $13 BILLION dollar benefit to faith-based support groups (well, at least a $13 Billion dollar cost to the government--which means us)
Printer-friendly view of this topic
![[Cry]](graemlins/cry.gif)
